Vending apparatus



H. COOLEY VENDING APPARATUS May 10, 1927. ,5 ,837

Filed June 12. 1922 -be of any proper nature.

Patented May 1t), 1927.

for set forth by which UNITED STAT E s PATENT orr ca.

HENRY B. CQOLEY, O1?" KENSINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOE TO THE AMERICAN PAPER GOODSCOMZANY, -5 JERSEY.

Application filed June 12,

This invention relates to vending-apparatus. Articles of differentlrinds may be received in the apparatus and by a proper check or coin which terms are synonymous, an article may be vended. I prefer to sup port in the apparatus, paper drinl nng-cups which. are usually arranged thereln 1n stack of nestedcups in which event the check or coin necessary to bring about the proper action of the appliance will generally be a. one cent or a penny. By the insertion, there form. of a; coinin the apparatus, the action thereof can be brought about to effect the discharge of a drinking-cup or other portion of the stack, which is desirably the terminal portion and which is usually the lowermost cup of the stack.

Among the objects of the invention are the provision of an apparatus of the characa cup can be quickly obtained without injury thereto. I

In thedrawing accompanying and forming part ofthe present specification, 1 have detail one of the several convenient forms-of the apparatus which I will set forth in detail in the following description. Clearly I am not restricted to this exact disclosure. 1 may depart therefrom in a mum ber' of particulars within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description. v

Referring to sz' 'd drawing:

Fig. l is an elevation of an apparatus involving the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical shownin sectional view, with portionsbrolren: away, showing the parts in v their primary positions and with a coin inserted.

Fig. 3 is a practically similar view showing v the action of the appliance.

Fig. 4: is a vertical section on of Fig.-

Fig. 5 a similar view on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig; 6 (l -6 of Fig.. 2.

Like characters refer to like parts tl n 'ou'gl'iout the several views, Fig. 1 being on a smaller scale than the other views- In the structure, certain of the parts are incl'osed by a casing or housing, which may 'That shown is 2 and is approxthe top of the the line 4 4 is ahorizontal section on the line denoted in general way by imately cylindrical. From vnnnme- 'ArrAnATUs.

1922. Serial no. 567,530.

casing or housing, the tubular member 3 extends upwardly and is furnished with a glass tube 4:. The tubular extension 3 projects dow vardly from the top of the casing 2 the same as shown at 5 to constitute areceiver or barrel 5 for the reception of the stack of nested cups 6 which project upward into the extension 3 and also into the-removable tube d which is generally glass. This is amore or less familiar and oldconstruction and in my copending application Ser. No. 54.7257, filed March 27, 1922-, I have shown practically the same thing.

The stack of cups is normally sustained by a support as 7 at one side and at the lower end of the barrel 5, this stack support usually being in the nature of a flange, compara tively narrow, at the lower edge of the barrel 5 yet amply sufficient to give the stack adequate and substantial support. E'aclr cup of the stack in the construction shown, tapers upwardly and inwardly from its lower open end which the arrangement in which the cups are usually placed inthe stack. To obtain the lowermost cup or cups, it is necessary that the terminalv cup or cups be collapsed Generally, but a singlecup is delivered at a time, and to obtain this cup it is necessary to collapse it so that it, can clear the support or flange 7, at which point it is a simple matter to free the collapsed cup or portion ofthe stack from the remainder of the stack. Before the action in question can be brought about, it is imperative that a check or a coin be introduced into the machine.

On the side of the barrel 5 and extending below the same is the tube 8 having at its upper end the head 9. rigid with the barrel 5 at the upper end of said tube. This barrelv constitutes a suitable receiver for the plunger 10 normally operative, as by the coiled spring 11, the lower end of which is united with a pin 12 extending outwardlyfrom the plunger 10 near the base thereof and the I upper end of which is connected with a pin 13 extending from the tube head 9.

The plunger 10 acts as a proper carrier for a collapsing member such as the pin' or bolt 1% which is advanceable under proper conditions involving a check by an actuator such as that denoted in a general way by 15. The conditions are these: that to render the actuator effective for operating the collapsing member or pin 14;, a check or coin must be interposed between the two parts, as I will hereinafter explain. The actuator 15 is practically in the form of a forked lever, one of the inner branches of which is pivoted as at 16 to the plunger and the other branch or arm of which has at its free end a fork 1T n-actically of inverted ll form by reason of which on the advance of said actuator and without the intervention of a check or coin the branches of the fork i? will straddle the collapsing memher or pin without accomplishing anything.

The actuator is supported for swinging motion by the plunger it) and its shank extends through a slot 12 in the casing or housing 2 to provide an extended portion for ready manipulation. It will be assumed that there is no coin in the machine and that the actuator is advanced. In this case the lower branch of the actuator is moved inwardly and the fork i7 is caused to straddle the butt portion of the shank of the collapsing member or pin it without. accomplishing anything, (hi actuator at the same time, however, moving downward the plunger 10 without accomplishing anything. A spring as 19 is generally interposed between the actuator 15 and the plunger 10 to return the actuator to its initial position after the same has been released by the user.

The casing or housing 2 has interiorly thereof the inclined chute or runway 20, the inlet end of which is in exact register with a slot 21 in the casing or housing 2. "he plunger 10 has united therewith, for instance it may be integral or otherwise. the bowed and outwaidly-extending arm 22. N ear the upper end of this arm is a coin rest as 23 which is desirably made in the form of a pin, the tube 8 having a stop 24 to momentarily hold the check or coin on the rest or pin 23. It will be assumed that a check or coin of proper nature has passed along the chute or runway and is on the coin rest 01' pin 23 with the object of obtaining a cup. In this event the actuator 15 is manipulated and the coin causes the correlation as I will hereinafter set forth, of the actuator 15 and the plunger 14.

In Fig. 2 the parts are in their normal relations and a coin is assumed to be on the rest or pins 23 and 24: and against the butt or back end of the collapsing member or pin lat so that when the actuator is swung downwardly its free portion by engaging the coin can move the coin sideways and thus the collapsing member or pin it longitudinally or toward the left in Fig. 2 to cause the hooked inner end 26 of the collapsing member or pin to engage over the lowermost cup of the stack 6 and on the continued movement of the pin, slightly collapse the cup to carry it free of the flange 7 so that beyond this pointas the collapsing member through which the collapsing member or pin. can pass and which permits the neces- I sary vertical movement of the collapsing member or pin as the same is drawn downward.

The casing of the tube 8 has at about its middle portion the "am 2 in cmnplemental sections which are adapted to be traversed by the pins extending outwardly from the collapsing member or pin l l.

It will be assmned that a coin has been inserted and that the collapsing member or pin l i has l een advanced through the joint action of the actuator 15 and the check or coin and that the collapsing member has been moved all the way in to thus collapse the lower portion of the lowest cup to permit said cup to pass by the support 7, as said cup is pulled downward. I

This latter action is brought about when the actuator 15 is moved downward. it causi ig a correspoinling motion of the plunger 10 and the collapsing member or pin ll, so that the latter positively draws the lowest cup away from the remainder as shown for example in Fig. 3. The cam 29 by acting against the pins 30 maintains the collapsing men'iber let in engagement with the lowest cup until it is fully separated from the stack. At this point, the member 31 positively dislodges the coin from the rest or pin 23. ,Vhen the actuator 15 is released. it is returned to its initial condition by the spring 19, the spring 11 also returning the plunger 10 to its original position. At the same time, the spring 32 moves the collapsible member or plunger l-l back. The tree portion of the spring 33 desirably fits a notch 34 in the side of the collapsing member 14 to move the same back.

It is desirable that the hooked inner end 26 of the collapsing member or pin 14: be maintained in engagement with the rim at the lower end of the lowermost cup until said cup is completely separated from the stack. This is insured by causing the projections 30 on the collapsmg member riding against the cam 29. lVhen the pins pass clear of the active surface of the cam, they get under the foot portion 36 thereof and pass from thence into the slot 86 as the arts rise and on this action the spring 32 orces the collapsing member or pin 14 baekwardly or outwardly to return it to its initial position. The spring 83 looks into the notch 34 in the side of the collapsing member or pin 14: to prevent positively accidental backward movement of the collapsing member until the lowermost cup is Wholly freed of the stack.

llli) Ill The cam 29 by engaging the forward end portion of the pin 14; pushes said pin further inward, thus positively insuring the dislodgment of the lowermost cup of the stack. When the pin let is thrust backward, its butt end thus pushes the check or coin 15 from place so that it can drop.

The arm 31 is pivoted at its upper end as shown in Fi to the stud 31 extending from the tube head 9. Ithas pivoted to its lower end the spring 31 which is jointed at its upper end with the block 9 as shown in said Fig. 5. I might explain that on the backward movement of the pin 1%, the coin drops merely from place.

What I claim is:

1. A machine of the class described com-.

prising a barrel to receive a stack of nested drinking cups, and having a discharge opening smaller than the transverse diameter of said cups, a plunger positioned to receive cups discharged through said opening and acting on each advance to directly engage the side of a cup and push it. inward to collapse the terminal cup of the stack, an actuator for operating the plunger and means for pushing the collapsed portion of the stack through said discharge opening after itis collapsed by said plunger.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a barrel to receive a stack of nested drinking cups, the discharge opening of the barrel being smaller than the transverse diameter of the cup, a plunger positioned to engage the terminal cup of a stack of cups in said barrel to push the side thereof inward and to force it from the stack, and an actuator for operating the plunger to push it inward and to move it in a direction trans? verse to said inward movement.

3. A machine of the class described comprising a barrel to receive a stack of nested cups in upside down position, the discharge opening of the barrel being smaller than the transverse diameter of the cups, a plunger positioned to engage between the lips of the bottom cup and that of the next cup in a stack of cups in said barrel to force said bottom cup inwardly for release from the discharge opening, means for forcing the plunger inwardly, and means for forcing the plunger in a direction transverse to said inward movement to force the bottom cup from the stack.

at. A machine of the class described comprising'a barrel to receive a stack of nested drinking cups, and having a discharge opening smaller than the transverse diameter of said cups, a plunger positioned to receive cups discharged through said opening and having an advancing movement to engage the side of a cup in said stack and push it inward to collapse the terminal cup of the stack, means to permit movement of said plunger in a direction transverse to said advancing movement to push the collapsed portion of the stack through said discharge opening and means for operating the plunger.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature. v

'HENRY B. COOLEY. 

